3 Canucks Who Have Started the Season Strong Despite Losing Streak

At the start of the 2026-27 season, the Vancouver Canucks matched the Edmonton Oilers punch for punch in the first two games. However, through the first seven games, they are currently 2-5-0 and are on a four-game losing streak. While the losing streak hasn’t been ideal, it was expected in the first year of the rebuild. However, some players have started the season strong.

Paul Cotter

After signing a one-year, $2.15 million deal on July 1, Paul Cotter has been a pleasant surprise for the Canucks so far this season. Through seven games, he has four goals and six points. He currently leads the team in goals and is second in points behind Elias Pettersson’s eight. His four goals have him tied for 11th in the NHL.

During the 2025-26 season, the Michigan native had nine goals and 15 points in 79 games with the New Jersey Devils. The fact that he is already almost at half of his goal production in seven games shows promising signs for his first season with the Canucks. The most goals he’s had in a season was in 2024-25 with the Devils, when he finished with 16. Regarding points, he had 25 in a season with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023-24.

It’ll be interesting to see how the next 77 games go for Cotter. But for now, he’s been a huge contributor on the scoresheet for the Canucks, and the hope is that the 26-year-old has a breakout season with the bigger role he’s been given.

Jake DeBrusk

Last season was a mixed bag for Jake DeBrusk as he led the Canucks in goals (23), but 19 of those were on the power play, which also led the team. However, that left him with four even-strength goals in 81 games. It’s tough to see someone lead a team in goals, but most of them came from the man-advantage. In an ideal world, especially in hockey, there is a balance in that aspect.

That said, DeBrusk is already up to three goals on the season, and all of them are even-strength. What helps is that his shooting percentage (S%) is up to 18.8%. Compared to 10.5%, that is a solid start for the Edmonton, AB native. While he did see a dip in 2025-26, finishing with 42 points compared to the 48 he had the season before, the hope is that he can reach the 50-point mark he set in 2022-23 with the Boston Bruins.

After signing his seven-year deal in July 2024, which pays him $5.5 million annually, the hope was he could replicate those numbers. However, DeBrusk has been known as a streaky player, going for games without putting up points to then all of a sudden have 13 in 10. Consistency has always been an issue over the course of his career.

With the start DeBrusk has had so far in 2026-27, maybe there will be some progression in that aspect of his game. The good thing is that he won’t be looked at as a power-play merchant. If he can manage to find a balance between power-play goals and even-strength goals, he has the chance to reach between 25 and 30 goals this season for the Canucks.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki

Already seven games into the season, Jonathan Lekkerimäki is on the precipice of having a career year. In the 2025-26 season, he had two goals and three points. The season before that, he had three goals and six points in 24 games. Through seven games in 2026-27, he has two goals and five points. He is two goals, one assist, and two points away from new career highs.

Thankfully for Lekkerimäki, he has experience playing for head coach Manny Malhotra during his time with the Abbotsford Canucks. With him only having 44 games of NHL experience, the hope is the 22-year-old Swedish forward can have a breakout season for the Canucks. Even if it’s the beginning of the rebuild, seeing him have a jump in progression will bring some optimism for the core moving forward.

For the Canucks, this season will be about where they are in the rebuild, plus seeing where the younger players are in their progression. It’s all about finding out what needs to be addressed and worked on as the rebuild is in the early stages. That said, with how Cotter, DeBrusk, and Lekkerimäki have started the 2026-27 season, it’ll bring some excitement for fans as they go through the ups and downs.